Indo-European Lexicon
PIE Etymon and IE Reflexes
Below we display: a Proto-Indo-European (PIE) etymon adapted from Pokorny, with our own English gloss; our Semantic Field assignment(s) for the etymon, linked to information about the field(s); an optional Comment; and Reflexes (derived words) in various Indo-European languages, organized by family/group in west-to-east order where Germanic is split into West/North/East families and English, our language of primary emphasis, is artificially separated from West Germanic. IE Reflexes appear most often as single words with any optional letter(s) enclosed in parentheses; but alternative full spellings are separated by '/' and "principal parts" appear in a standard order (e.g. masculine, feminine, and neuter forms) separated by commas.
Reflexes are annotated with: Part-of-Speech and/or other Grammatical feature(s); a short Gloss which, especially for modern English reflexes, may be confined to the oldest sense; and some Source citation(s) with 'LRC' always understood as editor. Keys to PoS/Gram feature abbreviations and Source codes appear below the reflexes; at the end are links to the previous/next etyma [in Pokorny's alphabetic order] that have reflexes.
All reflex pages are currently under active construction; as time goes on, corrections may be made and/or more etyma & reflexes may be added.
Pokorny Etymon: trei- 'three, trio'
Semantic Field(s): Three, Group of Three
Indo-European Reflexes:
| Family/Language | Reflex(es) | PoS/Gram. | Gloss | Source(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic | ||||
| Old Irish: | tri(ū) | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| Irish: | trí | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| Scots Gaelic: | trì | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| Manx: | tree | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| Welsh: | tri | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| trydydd | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| English | ||||
| Old English: | þirdda, þridda | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | W7 |
| þridding | n.fem | doing something for 3rd time | W7 | |
| þrīe, þrēo, þrēo | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC | |
| þri-feald | adj | threefold | ASD | |
| þriga | adv | thrice | W7 | |
| þri-milce | n.masc | May, lit. three-milkings (month) | ASD | |
| þrītig, þrittig | nbr.card | thirty (30) | ASD | |
| Middle English: | detesten | vb | to detest | W7 |
| protesten | vb | to protest | W7 | |
| riding | n | riding | W7 | |
| terce | nbr.ord | tierce | W7 | |
| tercian | adj | tertian | W7 | |
| testament | n | testament | W7 | |
| testicule | n | testicle | W7 | |
| testifien | vb | to testify | W7 | |
| testimony | n | testimony | W7 | |
| thirde, thridde | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | W7 | |
| three | nbr.card | three (3) | W7 | |
| thrie(s) | adv | thrice | W7 | |
| thritty | nbr.card | thirty (30) | W7 | |
| tierce | nbr.ord | tierce | W7 | |
| treis | n | trey | W7 | |
| treye | n | trey | W7 | |
| tri- | pfx | tri- | W7 | |
| tribe | n | tribe | W7 | |
| trine | adj | trine | W7 | |
| English: | attest | vb | to affirm as true/genuine | AHD/W7 |
| contest | vb | to make subject of dispute/contention/litigation | AHD/W7 | |
| detest | vb.trans | to loathe, abhor, dislike intensely | AHD/W7 | |
| obtest | vb | to beseech, supplicate | AHD/W7 | |
| protest | vb | to avow, make solemn declaration/affirmation of | AHD/W7 | |
| riding | n | administrative jurisdiction in Yorkshire, England | AHD/W7 | |
| sesterce | n | ancient Roman coin: 1/4 denarius | AHD/W7 | |
| tercel | n | male hawk/falcon | AHD | |
| tern | n | type of sea gull | AHD/W7 | |
| terpolymer | n | polymer of 3 distinct monomers | AHD | |
| tertian | adj | recurring at ca. 3-day intervals | AHD/W7 | |
| tertiary | adj | of 3d rank/value/importance | AHD/W7 | |
| tertiary | n | member of of monastic 3rd order | AHD/W7 | |
| testament | n | covenant between God and man | AHD/W7 | |
| testicle | n | testis | AHD/W7 | |
| testify | vb | to bear witness, make statement based on personal belief/knowledge | AHD/W7 | |
| testimony | n | (ark containing) tablets inscribed with Mosaic law | AHD/W7 | |
| testis | n | male reproductive gland | AHD/W7 | |
| third | nbr.ord | 3rd (in place/time) | AHD/W7 | |
| thirty | nbr.card | 30 | AHD/W7 | |
| three | nbr.card | 3 | AHD/W7 | |
| threefold | adj | triple, 3 times the number/quantity | W7 | |
| thrice | adv | three times | AHD/W7 | |
| Thrihyrne | prop.n | Helm's Deep mountain in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| Thrimidge, Thrimi(l)ch | prop.n | Shire calendar's May in Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings | LRC | |
| tierce | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | AHD/W7 | |
| trey | n | side of die/domino with 3 spots | AHD/W7 | |
| tri- | pfx | three | AHD/W7 | |
| triad | n | trinity, group/union of three | AHD/W7 | |
| tribe | n | social group comprising relatives/adoptees/slaves | AHD/W7 | |
| triceratops | n | herbivorous dinosaur of Cretaceous Period | AHD | |
| trichotomy | n | division into 3 parts/classes/elements | AHD/W7 | |
| tricrotic | adj | re: triple beat in arterial pulse | AHD/W7 | |
| tricrotism | n | having 3 pulse beats per heartbeat | AHD | |
| tridactyl | adj | having 3 fingers/toes | AHD/W7 | |
| trigeminus | n | main facial sensory nerve | AHD | |
| triglyph | n | 3-grooved tablet in Doric frieze | AHD/W7 | |
| trillium | n | lily with erect stem bearing 3 leaves | AHD/W7 | |
| trimer | n | three identical molecules combined | AHD | |
| Trimurti | prop.n | triad of gods: Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva (Hinduism) | LRC | |
| trine | adj | triple, threefold | AHD/W7 | |
| trinity | n | triad, three in one | AHD/W7 | |
| trio | n | group of three | AHD/W7 | |
| tripedal | adj | having 3 feet | AHD | |
| triple | adj | having 3 units/members | W7 | |
| triplex | adj | triple, threefold | AHD/W7 | |
| triquetrous | adj | triangular, having three acute angles | AHD/W7 | |
| triquetrum | n | wedge-shaped carpal bone | AHD | |
| triskaidekaphobia | n | abnormal fear of number 13 | AHD | |
| trisoctahedron | n | regular solid with 24 congruent faces | AHD/W7 | |
| tritium | n | radioactive hydrogen isotope with 3 times ordinary mass | AHD/W7 | |
| tritone | n | musical interval: three whole steps | AHD/W7 | |
| troika | n | Russian vehicle pulled by 3 horses abreast | AHD/W7 | |
| West Germanic | ||||
| Old Frisian: | thrē, thria, thriu | nbr.card | three (3) | ASD |
| thredda | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | ASD | |
| thria, thriia | adv | thrice | ASD/W7 | |
| thrītich | nbr.card | thirty (30) | ASD | |
| Dutch: | drie | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| Old Saxon: | thriddio | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | ASD |
| thrie, threa | nbr.card | three (3) | ASD | |
| thriio, thriwo | adv | thrice | ASD | |
| thrītig | nbr.card | thirty (30) | ASD | |
| Old Low German: | thrie | nbr.card | three (3) | ASD |
| thrīo | adv | thrice | ASD | |
| Old High German: | drī, drīo, driu | nbr.card | three (3) | ASD/W7 |
| dritt(i)o | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| drīzug | nbr.card | thirty (30) | ASD | |
| Middle High German: | drīes | adv | thrice | EIE |
| German: | drei | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| dreimal | adv | thrice | LRC | |
| dritte | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | LRC | |
| North Germanic | ||||
| Old Norse: | þriði | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | W7 |
| þriðjungr | n | third part | W7 | |
| þrír, þrjár, þrjú | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC | |
| Icelandic: | þriþi | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | ASD |
| þrír, þrjár, þrjú | nbr.card | three (3) | ASD | |
| Danish: | terne | n | tern, sea-swallow | DEO/W7 |
| tre | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC | |
| Swedish: | tre | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| East Germanic | ||||
| Gothic: | þreis, þreis, þrija | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| þridja | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| Crimean Gothic: | *treiþien, treithyen | nbr.card | thirty (30), lit. third ten | CGo |
| tria | nbr.card | three (3) | CGo | |
| *þiinetria, thune-tria | nbr.card | thirteen (10 + 3) | CGo/GED | |
| Italic | ||||
| Umbrian: | terti(u) | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE |
| Latin: | attestor, attestari | vb.dep | to prove, confirm, attest | W7 |
| contestor, contestari | vb.dep | to call as witness | W7 | |
| destestor, detestari | vb.dep | to curse while calling on deity as witness | W7 | |
| obtestor, obtestari | vb.dep | to beseech, call to witness | W7 | |
| protestor, protestari | vb.dep | to witness before jury | W7 | |
| sestertius | adj | two and a half times as great | W7 | |
| ter | adv | thrice | LRC | |
| tertianus | adj | of the third | W7 | |
| tertiarius | adj | of a third | W7 | |
| tertius | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | W7 | |
| testamentum | n.neut | will, covenant | W7 | |
| testiculus | n.masc | testicle | W7 | |
| testificor, testificari | vb.dep | to testify | W7 | |
| testimonium | n.neut | evidence, witness | W7 | |
| testis | n.masc | witness: 3rd party to transaction | W7 | |
| testor, testari | vb.dep | to bear witness, give evidence | W7 | |
| trēs | nbr.card | three (3) | W7 | |
| tri- | pfx | three | W7 | |
| triad- | pfx | group of three | W7 | |
| trias | n.fem | triad | W7 | |
| tribus | n.fem | tribe, division of (Roman) people | W7 | |
| triglyphus | n.masc | triglyph | W7 | |
| trini | adv | three each | W7 | |
| trinus | adj | of three | W7 | |
| triplex | adj | threefold | W7 | |
| Late Latin: | testamentum | n.neut | covenant with God, holy scripture | W7 |
| testimonium | n.neut | testimony, Decalogue | W7 | |
| Medieval Latin: | tertiarius | adj | of a third | W7 |
| New Latin: | trillium | n.neut | genus of herbs | W7 |
| tritium | n.neut | radioactive hydrogen isotope | W7 | |
| Portuguese: | attestar | vb | to attest | CDC |
| Spanish: | atestar | vb | to attest | CDC |
| Old French: | atester | vb | to attest | CDC |
| Middle French: | attester | vb | to attest | W7 |
| contester | vb | to contest | W7 | |
| obtester | vb | to obtest | W7 | |
| protester | vb | to protest | W7 | |
| terz | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | W7 | |
| tierce | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | W7 | |
| treie | nbr | three (3) | W7 | |
| treis | nbr | three (3) | W7 | |
| trin | adj | of three | W7 | |
| French: | attester | vb | to attest | CDC |
| trio | n.masc | trio | W7 | |
| trois | nbr.card | three (3) | W7 | |
| Italian: | attestare | vb | to attest | CDC |
| tri- | pfx | three | W7 | |
| trio | n.masc | trio, set of three | W7 | |
| Baltic | ||||
| Old Prussian: | tīrts, tirts | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE |
| tris | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE | |
| Lithuanian: | trẽčias, trečià | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | LRC |
| trỹs | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE | |
| Latvian: | trešaĩs | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE |
| trîs | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE | |
| Slavic | ||||
| Old Church Slavonic: | tretijĭ, treti | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE |
| trьe, tri, tri | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC | |
| Russian: | trétij | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE |
| troe | nbr.card | three (3) | W7 | |
| Albanian | ||||
| Albanian: | tre | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| tretë | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| Hellenic | ||||
| Mycenaean: | *tri- | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| ti-ri-po | n | tripod | EIE | |
| Homeric Greek: | τρεῖς, τριάς, τρία | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| τριάκοντα | nbr.card | thirty (30) | LRC | |
| τρίτατος | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| Greek: | τρῐ- | pfx | three, thrice | LS |
| τρί-γλῠφος | adj | triglyphic, lit. thrice-cloven | LS | |
| τρῐ-δακτῠλος | adj | tridactyl | LS | |
| τρίς | adv | thrice | LS | |
| τρίτος | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | LRC | |
| Anatolian | ||||
| Lycian: | tri- | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| tri- | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC | |
| Hittite: | teri- | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| teriyan | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| Armenian | ||||
| Armenian: | erek' | nbr.card | three (3) | LRC |
| Iranian | ||||
| Avestan: | θrayō | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| θriš | adv | thrice | EIE | |
| θritya- | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| Indic | ||||
| Sanskrit: | tráyas, trī́ | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| tritá, tr̊tíya- | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| trimūrti | adj | having three forms, re: Trimurti | W7 | |
| triṣ, triḥ | adv | thrice | EIE | |
| Tocharian | ||||
| Tocharian B: | trai, tarya | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| trite | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
| Tocharian A: | tre | nbr.card | three (3) | EIE |
| trit | nbr.ord | third (3rd) | EIE | |
Key to Part-of-Speech/Grammatical feature abbreviations:
| Abbrev. | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| adj | = | adjective |
| adv | = | adverb(ial) |
| card | = | cardinal |
| dep | = | deponent |
| fem | = | feminine (gender) |
| masc | = | masculine (gender) |
| n | = | noun |
| nbr | = | number |
| neut | = | neuter (gender) |
| ord | = | ordinal |
| pfx | = | prefix |
| prop | = | proper |
| trans | = | transitive |
| vb | = | verb |
Key to information Source codes (always with 'LRC' as editor):
| Code | Citation | |
|---|---|---|
| AHD | = | Calvert Watkins: The American Heritage Dictionary of Indo-European Roots, 2nd ed. (2000) |
| ASD | = | Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller: An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary (1898) |
| CDC | = | W.D. Whitney and B.E. Smith: The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia (1889-1911) |
| CGo | = | MacDonald Stearns, Jr: Crimean Gothic (1978) |
| DEO | = | Hermann Vinterberg and C.A. Bodelsen: Dansk-Engelsk Ordbog (1966) |
| EIE | = | J.P. Mallory and D.Q. Adams, eds. Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture (1997) |
| GED | = | Winfred P. Lehmann: A Gothic Etymological Dictionary (1986) |
| LRC | = | Linguistics Research Center, University of Texas, Austin |
| LS | = | Liddell and Scott: Greek-English Lexicon, 7th-9th ed's (1882-1940), rev. |
| W7 | = | Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary (1963) |
